Does God want you to be miserable? Does he want you to wake up each day, dreading the life you have been given to live? Are his intentions to steal all your fun and joy so that you walk around overwhelmed and depressed, encouraging others to follow you to this God who gave you this crapfest of a life?
Oh girl, absolutely not!
Jesus was a fun guy here on earth. He was at the wedding party. He was at the lake building a campfire. He was playing with the kids. He didn’t attract all these followers by being boring! The life within him gave life to others. Now, with his Spirit living in you, is the life within you giving life to others?
He came to give you life, but even more than that, John 10:10 tells us he came to give us life to the FULL! Life overflowing. Life so rich, so abundant, so good, that it flows out of us onto others. The question is, are we living in the fullness of life Jesus is offering?
Today is the final part of this 3 part devotional on a Life Purpose Statement. Again, this is a way to simplify the purpose of your life into a mantra that quickly shifts your perspective and helps you live intentionally. I’ve been sharing the 7 words of my Life Purpose Statement in 3 bullets:
Love God
Love People
Have a Blast
The first two are not my own, they are directly from Jesus. Jesus made it very clear, the purpose of my life, your life, and every other life created by God, is to first, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12: 30-31)
Way to make it clear Jesus. Thanks!
And that brings us to the third bullet, which is your choice. Really, the question is, what do you want your life to be known for? This is where the desires God has placed within your heart come into play. This is where your personality shines. Simplify what you are here to do and what you want to be know for into 2 or 3 words.
Maybe you want to be known for making a difference. Great. Your Life Purpose Statement could be “Love God, Love People, and Make a Difference.”
Maybe you want to be know for the memories you’re creating that will outlive you. Oh dang, that’s good! I like that! Your Life Purpose Statement could be “Love God, Love People, and Make Memories.”
Maybe you want to be known as a girl who, regardless of circumstances, always had faith. Your Life Purpose Statement could be, “Love God, Love People, and Have Faith.”
Really consider, what do you want to be known for.
The problem is, we are often known for what we are against instead of what we are for. Really, do you want to be known for being the girl who was against tattoos, the girl who was against Republicans, the girl who was against yoga, the girl who was against curse words, the girl who was against skinny jeans or crop tops?
This morning, I went to the Google, on a search for what people are most often asking about Christians. I typed in my search, “Why are Christians so …” and I looked at the results. Here’s what came up:
Why are Christians so mean?
Why are Christians so exclusive?
why are Christians so hypocritical?
Why are Christians so judgmental?
Why are Christians so divided?
Why are Christians so crazy?
Why are Christians so angry?
I’m not kidding you. This was the entire first page of results!
This is what people think of the followers of Jesus. This is what we have become known for! I mean, how attractive are we in the world? I believe this is a result of becoming hyper focused on what we don’t want over intentionally living for what we do want. So naturally, we are a real turn off to people who may be lost and seeking Jesus. We are here as his representatives, and this is what we’ve become known for?
Again, what do you WANT to be known for?
God designed me with a special gift. I don’t have the gift of singing, Lord knows I didn’t get that talent. I don’t have the gift of super intelligence to make scientific discoveries to save lives, or the gift of creativity in creating beautiful works of art. But what I do have is a gift of creating fun. So, I simply want to take my gift and use it every single day. That’s why bullet 3 of my Life Purpose Statement is “Have a Blast.”
By living out loud and inviting every soul I come in contact with into the fun, I’m making my Jesus famous! I’m showing others what life with God can look like, regardless of circumstances, through every season. When people hang out with me and find out I’m a follower of Jesus, I want them to go home and Google, “Why are Christians so fun?”
What are people googling in response to hanging out with you? What would you want them to be asking?
Paul wrote to his Church in 2 Corinthians 6: 11-13 MSG, “I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!”
Why was Paul so concerned with his Church living all little and fenced in? He was concerned because these were the people that were supposed to go out and represent Jesus. And Paul knew, little lives don’t attract seeking people to a BIG God!
Where have you been living small, and what would living BIG, openly and expansively look like? Jesus came to give you this wide-open, spacious life, but you’ve fenced yourself in with crap that doesn’t matter, causing you to live little. And I assure you, no one looks at a little life and says, “wow, what does she have that I don’t have, I gotta figure it out and get some of that little life living stuff too!” Said by nobody, ever!
But, I assure you, they will look at a girl like you, who came from exactly where you came from, dealing with exactly what you’re dealing with, and wonder how you’re living so BIG. How are you so filled with hope and joy? How are you so fun? How are you so happy? How are you so generous? How are you so strong? How are you here, doing what you’re doing, even with what you’re facing?
The difference is, JESUS! The difference is walking with him and following him.
May you live your life in such a way that someone Googles, “Why are Christians so generous?” “Why are Christians so loving?” “Why are Christians so faithful?”
For me, I’m over here having a blast, on purpose, intentionally, all-in with my whole being, because I want someone, somewhere to be asking why are Christians so darn fun? And when they do, they’ll find out that Jesus came to give them life to the full, and that fullness overflows into a life filled with joy, happiness, and fun!
What will bullet 3 of your Life Purpose Statement be?
Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela
Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com
Subscribe: RSS
